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I’ve got good news to report. The mastering is almost done! My mastering engineer, Trevor Sadler, and I have been working diligently on this project with the same two objectives in mind that have been there from the very beginning of this project:

First, I am committed to remaining authentic to the original vision and recording of the first Skafish album. Second, at the same time, attaining the highest audio quality and fidelity possible is essential.

Some of you have asked the question of why we were mastering from both never-before-played vinyl and the final studio tape mixes. I’ve had people wonder why I felt the need to master from both sources.

There are several important reasons why we used both. First, we wanted to see which medium provided the best sound. And, it is clear that the tapes offer superior sound quality.

However, the flat vinyl master still continues to provide a valuable purpose. That transfer is the exact record everyone has heard and is familiar with since 1980. It is authentic.

So, with the intention of remaining true to the spirit of the original album, we have been able to compare the new studio tape master to the original flat vinyl transfer. That comparison gives us a solid, objective reference point to keep navigating from. It is a lot of extra work, but I feel it is necessary to get everything done correctly.

While we are putting the final touches on re-mastering, I wanted to let you know about something coming up soon where I will need your input. I am creating a survey. This survey is only for only those who are planning on buying the album (and not for those who don’t intend to purchase the record).

If you are planning to buy the album, I need to know what you want. Would you like the album to be available on vinyl, CD, digital, or in other formats? Are you interested in a limited edition re-release? Do you want signed copies? And, there will other questions as well.

Since this pressing will initially only be available through crowdfunding and pre-orders, I want to make sure that we get the numbers right. Please stay tuned for the survey – I am working on it!

As you may already know, I finally have over 250 followers on Spotify! Therefore, I can apply to gain control of my artist account there. Thanks to all of you who have followed me there and who have spread the word. This means that I will have more control of what I can offer to you on Spotify. Also, please add my music to playlists on Spotify. It is a great help.

In the meantime, please spread the word about my music on social media. Spreading the word about Skafish is a subterranean grassroots movement that all of you are a vital part of.

It is so exciting to finally be able to see that we’re really coming to the end of the re-mastering process. It has been a lot of work — and well worth it for my fans. I will be in touch.

About a week ago, I promised an update to let everyone know just where the 1st Skafish album re-mastering project is currently at. And, for those of you who have just tuned in, let’s start with a little recap:

So far, two never-before-opened vinyl copies of the first Skafish album have been transferred to digital. Mastering engineer Trevor Sadler and I have listened to both, studied them and compared notes. Of these two, one pressing was from the United States and the other came from the United Kingdom. The vinyl transfers were promising.

However, there was still the unanswered question of the tapes. These would be the original tapes from the studio where the album was originally recorded that I talked about here. They are high-quality reel-to-reel tape dubs of the final master mixes. We wanted to see if they would sound better, worse, or the same as the vinyl transfers.

Current update – the tape transfers:
Trevor successfully transferred the tapes and sent me two copies in mid August. The first copy was a straight, unchanged flat transfer, meaning, nothing was done to adjust the sound whatsoever. The second copy had a small degree of mastering that Trevor had done. After listening to the second copy, it was pretty evident to both Trevor and I that the tapes sounded extremely promising. Proceeding from there, Trevor started working toward the final master.

Then, on Saturday, 9-3-16, I received and began listening to a more finished master made from the original tapes. This transfer further developed the album to be closer to a completed audio master, which involved such things as working with the treble/bass, overall EQ, balance, volume levels, compression, etc. That’s all technical jargon for getting the best sound out of the album possible.

So, what’s the verdict? It is absolutely clear that the studio master tape dub is superior in sound and quality to either of the vinyl masters – and that’s what I am going with.

I know this process has taken some time, but there are a lot of details to pay attention to as well as multiple sources we have needed to master from. The most important thing is not speed, but getting it right. Moving forward, there are a few tweaks and some details that still need to be taken care of. That’s in part because we need two separate masters: one for vinyl and the other for CD and digital. The vinyl and digital medium are notably different in terms of what they each require for a proper master. It’s important to me that both sound excellent.

When it comes to the audio master to the 1st album, there are two primary objectives I have in mind. First, I want to keep the sound authentic and loyal to the original album and its fans. Second, it is important to have the music work in the best way possible for both a vinyl and CD/digital release.

While the re-mastering is being worked on, there is something I would ask you to do for me. I am trying to gain control of my Spotify artist account, and I need 250 followers to do so. Currently, I have 111. Please follow me on Spotify. It doesn’t matter whether you have a free or paid account, because you can follow me with either type on Spotify. That will certainly help with making the 1st album project a reality, because I will be able to post updates, add pictures, playlists, and share things directly with the fans on Spotify.

I am not one who neurotically and obsessively posts about every little thing in a project, which is why you don’t hear from me constantly. In other words, I don’t believe that listening to the album at low volume versus high volume is worthy of a post, lol. My goal is to share substantial information with you that is relevant. Of course, you will be hearing from me as everything develops and comes together.

I have some news to report regarding the re-mastering project for the 1st Skafish album. I sent Trevor Sadler two unopened LP’s. Using state of the art audio equipment, he transferred the albums. Taking the best of the transferred tracks, he sent me a single disc to listen to. The transfer Trevor sent me is a flat transfer, meaning that nothing has been done to alter the sound, change the sound, fix the sound, EQ it, compress it, or try to upgrade it. I have been reviewing the disc extensively, listening to it on multiple stereo devices, and comparing it to a digital copy of the album I had from years ago. I am excited because what I am hearing so far is excellent.

So, what is the next step in this the process? As I mentioned in this post, I also have a reel-to-reel tape copy of the 2-Track final album mix from PS Studios. That’s where the album was recorded and mixed in 1979. This tape had been transferred to a hard drive a while back and I will be sending a copy of it to Trevor. The idea is to compare the audio quality of the current flat vinyl transfers with the tapes. Whichever source sounds better will end up being the final master. That could be the never-before-played vinyl, the studio tapes, or a combination of the two.

The re-mastering process sometimes takes longer than expected, because there are a lot of technical aspects involved. After over 35 years, I think we can all wait a bit longer to see this through in the best way possible. Of course, I will update again when there is something newsworthy to share.

In the meantime, I ask all of you to spread the word about my music in every way you can, especially on social media. Also, please make sure to follow me on Spotify because I need 250 followers to gain control of my artist account there.

When it comes to any undertaking, no one can do it all alone and I certainly don’t pretend that I can. In short, I really need your help and I ask for it with an open heart. Together, I know that we can make this happen.

I just wanted to give everyone an update on the progress of the first Skafish album re-mastering project. So far, my mastering engineer, Trevor Sadler, has made several passes at transferring one of the never-before-played albums that I had. He is satisfied with the results, but he still feels that we can get a better master to build from.

I just sent Trevor a second, never-before-played Skafish album. He will perform transfers from this pristine vinyl record and that can be compared to the ones he already has done. He told me that he would like to see if he can get even higher fidelity and less noise. I can’t report how the transfers sound because I haven’t heard them yet, but I will keep you posted once I get them and start listening to them.

In a previous blog post, I talked about how we are going with a preservationist approach in re-mastering the first Skafish album; meaning, we’re trying to keep it as much like it was as possible. Even though we’re not trying to “reinvent the wheel,” the re-mastering part of the project is taking a little longer than I had originally expected it to. That’s because Trevor and I are leaving no stone unturned in order to get this done right.

In the meantime, I’ve been working on the album art, evaluating manufacturers and putting together a draft project timeline and budget. However, I will only be able to set the final project timeline and budget once the re-mastering is complete. Make sure to sign up for the Skafish mailing list to be notified of all the project developments. At some point I will probably do a survey to find out what formats (vinyl, CD, digital, etc.) that everyone wants.

I will continue to rely on all of you to keep spreading the word about this project, my music and supporting me on social media.

Again, I have to extend a profoundly heartfelt level of gratitude to all of you who have contributed to the re-mastering project. Your financial support, spreading the word, enthusiasm and joy means more to me than you’ll ever know. It has made this one of the most enjoyable projects that I’ve ever been a part of. I am forever grateful.

A while back, I had mentioned on Facebook that I was interviewed for an up and coming documentary film about Sid and Nancy.

On my blog, I had already written about Sid Vicious’ last public event, a violent brawl that he caused at my concert at Hurrah’s in New York on December 5th, 1978. This is something that has been constantly portrayed in the press and in other movies inaccurately. Nobody has gotten this right and before this film, no one ever even bothered to ask me what happened. So, it’s nice to finally be asked to set the record straight about the actual events of that night.

I heard today from the filmmaker that the documentary, titled Sad Vacation, is nearing completion. That is exciting news, because this film has been in the works for several years.

Not only was I interviewed for the documentary, but my song, Knuckle Sandwich (1975-76), will also be included. The track is a live 1977 recording from my 21st birthday party in Chicago and currently featured on the Skafish album Bootleg 21-35.

The filmmaker, Danny Garcia, from Spain, has also done some fantastic documentaries about Johnny Thunders and the Clash, among other things.

They still need a little help reaching their funding goal to complete the documentary, and if you’re interested in supporting the project, you can visit their Indiegogo page. Check out the trailer for the film and the incredible rewards being offered.

I am quite excited about this project and I will certainly keep you posted with more details to follow.

The project to re-master the 1st Skafish album has been fully funded. Words cannot begin to express the gratitude and appreciation I feel for everyone who has been so willing to donate, spread the word, and offer their support.

For years, people have been asking for a re-release of the first album. Now, the support of everyone who has so generously contributed to getting this done is helping to be able to make that a reality.

I am excited to take the next steps toward a proper re-release of the first Skafish album on vinyl, CD, and digital.

I will now be moving forward toward getting everything ready to go to the mastering engineer and begin the process of working with the source materials to get the best and most authentic sound possible.

I will be keeping everyone posted of the project’s progress. Again, from the bottom of my heart and spirit, thanks so much for your generosity and support!
Skafish

I just wanted to share a pic with everyone of me holding one of the two never-before-played Skafish albums that I will be using as part of the source material to be able to re-master my first album. Mastering from never-before-played vinyl will provide the most authenticity to the original recordings possible.

Especially because I am looking to re-release this record for the fans who have cherished it for over 30 years, I want to provide both the highest quality and authenticity to the project possible.

I am so excited that we are now 85% of the way there, and that we only need another $150.00 to be able to re-master the record. I am both humbled and grateful to everyone who is supporting getting this done!

If you wish to contribute to the project, you can buy me a cup of coffee.
Skafish

For decades, I made several failed attempts to gain the rights back to my 1st album. It was both frustrating and at times debilitating, but something I refused to give up on. All along, the record company refused to re-release it, but at the same time, they wouldn’t sell it back to me so I could put it out, either. So, the album just sat there in limbo since the early 1980’s….

However, as many of you now know, I was finally able to gain all legal rights back to my first album. I achieved this through a US government law that allows me (and every other artist) to legally terminate the rights of the record company 35 years after the original date of publication. The termination process for the first Skafish album has been successfully completed and is properly filed and documented by the US government. On August 2, 2015, I let everyone know that I now had complete legal ownership of the album.

I am currently in the process of trying to create a project timeline to be able to re-release the record. However, I can’t finalize the time frame until the re-mastering is finished. Until I see what needs to be done, I don’t know how long the entire project will take.

There have been a tremendous amount of expenses and legal bills that I have already paid just to get the rights back. So many people have asked if there was anything they could do to help with the re-release of the first album. So I decided to extend an open invitation to everyone to be able to support the re-mastering project if they wanted to.

Since I first opened that door on March 5, 2016, I have been so grateful for the support I’ve received. The cost to re-master the album and get it ready for a vinyl, CD and digital release is approximately $1000.00. As of today, I have received $400.00 toward that goal. We are 40% of the way there and I am confident that this can get done.

If you’ve already contributed to supporting the project, you have been a Godsend. Your generosity has really touched my heart, deeply. If you’re someone who is considering supporting the re-mastering project, your help would be greatly appreciated. And, anything at all helps to move it forward.

Just so everyone knows, all the money donated will be used solely to re-master the album. I will keep you posted.

Today is the birthday of the Skafish album What’s This? 1976-1979! Eight years ago on April 1, 2008, it became the first release on my label, 829 Records. Featuring recordings from August 1976 through November 1979, this record, in part, documents the early period of the Skafish band, featuring many subterranean gems that have never been released.

The album captures a snapshot of a revolutionary, transformational and turbulent time. This fact is clearly documented in the liner notes written by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legends Cheap Trick.

Some of the tracks are the early versions of the songs that made it to my first album, and some people were upset about that. They wanted the first album, which I didn’t have the legal rights to re-release at the time.

Still, I am very proud of What’s This? as an objective historical document. When it comes to What’s This? 1976-1979, this record stands on its own and is truly like no other.

Someone recently asked me what they could do to help get the first Skafish album re-mastered if they couldn’t donate money? It was a fantastic question, so I decided to talk about it a bit here in a post. Of course, financial support will get this project completed faster than anything, but there are still many things that you can do to help bring awareness to the project and help to move it forward.

HERE ARE SOME IDEAS:Leave a great review: If you bought one of my albums, or listen to my music, please leave a positive review. People need to know why and how you have connected to my work and what it’s all about. It really helps to spread the awareness about the music and what I’m doing, which then helps to build the interest and the momentum needed to move the 1st Skafish album project along.

Spotify: We all know how essential Spotify is, because it’s a place where people can stream and listen to music for free.

It’s really important tofollow me on Spotify. That’s because Spotify won’t give me control of my artist page until I have more than 250 followers. Having control of my artist page means I can directly communicate with fans there and let them know about the 1st album project.

Create and add my songs to a playlist. This helps to raise awareness of me as an artist and exposes the music to more listeners. Keep in mind that any increased awareness of me helps to promote the first album project overall.

If you can, share your Spotify listens of my songs on Twitter and social media as you’re listening. It’s a great conversation starter.

Spread the word and follow me on social media:

Follow me on social media, connect with me and tell a friend. The bigger my following, the more people I can get the word out to and the more chance there’ll be of getting the necessary support and funding for the re-mastering and re-release of the album.

It is important for people to know who I am, especially in relation to Chicago music history. If you were there back in the day, let people know how influential my band and I have been. Speak out about the context for the first album historically and how groundbreaking it was considered.

Let people know that I finally own the first album: Spread the word that I now own all legal rights to the album. A lot of people never realized that since I didn’t own it, I couldn’t put it out. I’ve got it back now and I want it out there – people need to know that. If the money is there, the plan is to re-release this as soon as possible.

Encourage others to help: Let everyone know that I’m trying to raise the necessary funds to re-master the record. If that can be done, then I can pursue the next steps to re-release it on vinyl, CD, and digitally.

Share the link on the re-mastering project: Please share the link on why I’m re-mastering the album so people can learn the back-story and find out what’s currently going on with the project. That post also lets people know how they can help.

I am really thrilled about the project and I want to see it happen. So many people have told me that they’re excited, too. Share your excitement – it’s contagious!

To everyone who is sharing and supporting this project, thank you so much for your continued involvement. — Skafish